The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-19
A CONFEDERATE sIGN-POsT.
Plain and Very Emphatic Words of Wisdom
for Jefferson Davis.

Plain and Very Emphatic Words of Wisdom
for Jefferson Davis.
Charleston Is. CO. Special.
Editors who were babies when Lee eurren-
dered and editors who hid in bomb proofs during
the war, have been making it hot for the News
and Courier because 1t said that Jefferson Davis
should not go to Atlanta to meet President
Cleveland, and that he should keep out of the
confederate reunion mess at Macon. The News
and Courier hits back this morning. Among
other things it says
alton for what he was The News and Courier
deals with him as he is 1t is true that he is a
man without a country but this is his own
fault, choice. The political disabilities of Mr..
Davis would be removed upon petition were
the political disabilities of Vice president Ste
phens. Postmaster general Reagan, and a host
of other confederates of high position. It is his
preference to stand alone and to be confed-
crate sgp-p post. Nobody cares to find fault with
this wish, perhaps, but there Is the right. and
the will besides, to remind Mr.. Davis that he
owes more to the South than the South can
owe to him, and that be is untrue to the
people who were always true to him when he
puts himself in position to injure them by fur
nishng material for political war to the enemies
of the Southern States and of the Union in gen.
eral.
'sIt is incontestable that Mr.. Davis can go
where he pleasss and say what he likes. The
abstract right is not ID the question. But Mr..
Davis is a relic of the past and belongs to tho
past. and the safest place for him is on his plan
tation at Beauvoir. There is nothing in his
career to make him especially noteworthy, ex-
cepting his selection as President OF the Con1ed-
crate States and his consequent experiences. It
IT, therefore, as ex-President of the Confedsracy
that he is wined and 6ined aud invited to make
speeches. When he speaks he is moro likely
than not to say what is irritating. and therefore
noxious. and, though he were to utter the loft
lest sentiments. he would be regarded as in
sincere for the simple reason that his words and
his acts not in accord The man who de-
clines to DO an American citizen and who takes
pride in avoiding the responsibilities of citizen
ship should at least hold his tongue and curb
his pen, instead of forcing his counsel and his
grievances upon the consideration OF those
whose duties and obligations he is unwilling to
share.
'.Mr. Davis turns his back upon the Union as
1t is. and is at war with settled and unchange-
able facts. If he is right, then j. E. Johnston,
the Lees, Gordon, Beauregard, Colquitt. Mich
oils. Butler. Hampton. MCGOWAN. the Vanees.
Payne, Cockerell. and all the long line of confed-
crate soldiers and statesmen-saving himself
are utterly and meanly wrong. The News
and Courier has gone further than any other
newspaper in the United States in asserting the
riehtfulness of secession and the absolute JUS
tice of she Southern cause. 1t has never al
lowed q denial of this to pass unchallenged. 1t
has been faithful to the Confederacy that it is
even to this day, denounced rebel news
paper Year after year it has told the story of
the glory of the boys who wore the gray but it
is not blind worshiper of Mr.. Davis. In its
eyes the ex-confederatss, in their suf-
ferings in their struggles. in their proud
success are more a thousandfold than Mr.. Davis
or is, and whenever the idiosyncrasies of
Mr.. Davis, or his weaknesses, conflict with the
interests of the barefooted boys of twenty years
ago it will say unhesitatingy and without car
ing iot for the sneers or abuse of persons who
were safe in their cradles or in official bomb
proofs whom the fight for the Confederacy was
made and lost. The cause of the ex-confederates
to-day is the cause of the United States. The
United States are their country. They have no
other and want no other.